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Know The Two-Second Rule For Driving

Posted by Ted LiggettOctober 08, 2018

We all know that texting, checking in on our favorite social apps, and even just chatting on the phone to our loved ones is tempting while driving. We hear a soft bing or feel a buzzing sensation and suddenly we are tapped into our devices to see what’s going on in an instant. What most people don’t know is that even taking your eyes off the road for two-seconds can cause detrimental accidents to occur. The Lubbock texting and driving accidents attorneys at Liggett Law Group see these tragic accidents too often, and want to make sure drivers understand the two-second rule for driving.

In an article from The New York Times, Wade Newton, a spokesman for the Auto Alliance, a manufacturers trade group, states, “The odds of a crash double if your eyes are off the road for more than two seconds. In 2016 for example, more than nine percent of United States traffic deaths (around 3,450) were attributed to distracted driving. Because of this, the government, automakers, and tech companies have been thinking of new and innovative ways to keep drivers’ eyes on the road and not elsewhere.

Because you can’t just tell a driver not to text or use their devices while driving, the NHTSA and the Auto Alliance have come up with a set of voluntary design guidelines to limit distractions. Within these guidelines, auto manufacturers are encouraged to design screens that don’t obstruct the driver’s view, utilize internationally recognized icons and symbols, allow the driver to control the pace of input, as well as disable any information that is not pertinent to driving when they are in motion.

Rather than try and stop distracted driving behavior altogether, manufacturers are offering technological solutions to lessen distractions. These include features such as head-up displays that project speed and other information onto the windshield of the car, audio alerts when the car begins to drift into another lane, blind spot detection, automatic braking when coming towards another car or pedestrian, and cross traffic warnings.

These auto safety technologies are proving effective. According to Ms. Cicchino of the Insurance Institute , forward-collision warning systems with automatic braking have the ability to cut rear-end crashes by 50 percent, and rear cross-traffic alerts reduce accidents by 33 percent.

Lubbock Texting And Driving Accidents

There is no excuse for engaging in any type of distracting activity while driving. If you or someone you love was involved in a Lubbock auto accident caused by a distracted driver, call Liggett Law Group. Our attorneys can fight for your compensation so you can focus on recovery. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.